Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-08-06
EASTER ISLAND.
A Curious Spot in the South
Pacific Ocean.
It's Many Strange Images. Villages Of
Stone Huts> aud Preseu. Inhabitants.

Ocean, that Of RtpaNui, or Easter Isl
and, asit is generally called, is perhaps
the most curious and interesting, On &C
count Of the mysterious origin and his
tory ofits former inhabitants, and the
sculptusod rocks and stone images which
thy have left scattered in gSeat num-
bcrs over the island. 1t has been known
since 1,21, when the navigator Ragge
that year, and 50 appropriately named
it in commemoration of the discovery.
Captain Cook visited it about the year
1172, and it is said he found twenty
thousand inhabitants there. The island
is about thirty miles in circumference.
Il has remarkable isolation, being
5000 miles from the coast OF Chill and
1900 from any other inhibited island
except Pitcairn, which is comparatively
barren ana deso'atc. =
Thus, on account of its situation, the
origin of its people is an chronological
question which, 50 far, scientists have
been unable to explain, and the only
light on which is to be found in the
native traditions. Seine who have not
visited the island believe it to be the re-
mains of a submerged continent. Such
theory, however, Is undoubtedly in
correct, as it is Of Enthusiastically volcanic
origin. There IS large extinct crater
on each end Of the island, and numer
Gus small ones between, the ground be-
/ ing thickly covered with black volcanic
rock and obsidlan in the western portion.
The largest Of these volcanoes is named
Rauo Kao; it is over 1900 feet high, en-
closing fresh water lake nearly three
miles in circumference, the surface of
which is partially covered with vegetable
matter over which man may walk in
places. The second one in size is ex-
tremely interesting on account Of its be-
ing the place where the stone images
were made from lava rock, great num-
Der of which still remain, some unfinished
and attached to the precipitous cliffs.
An enormous number Of these images
are scattered all over the island,
while there are 90 inside and 155 i'm
mcdiately outside the crater. They are
in solid pieces varying from five to sew
enty feet in height. The workmanship
is extremely crude, and in appearance
they are decidedly unattractive. The
human body is represented terminating
at the hips; the head is fiat, the top OF
the forehead cut level SO as to support a
crown cut from red tufa found in one OF
the smaller craters. They were trans
ported to villages near the sea, and placed
upon stone platforms constructed in va
rious heights and different lengths, fac
ing the water. One of these platforms
supported thirteen Of these immense i'm
ages, anl all Of those examined con
tanned human bones, showing it to be {
place of burial. Each OF :hese many
images has gaeparate name, but they
were never Idols. None OF these remain
upon the platform in stu, as II was tAe
: custom OF conquerng clans to upset those
: of the vanqujshed. OF these platforms
113 have been counted. On prccipic'
overlooking tie seals q village OF anclen
stone huts, where, it is sal |, the natives
lived only during portion Of %the year
Mar by are also scuIptur cd rocks, Gov
cred with curious and extremely inter
esting carvings.
Tie first king, Hoti Metua, after land
i1c=upon the island, named it ''Fe pit
te Heuna''-the Land in the middle Of th
: deep. AMI Rapa-Nu IS the name givc'
: to it by the natives Of Tahiti. At th
present time there are but 80 natives re
naming on the island. In appearance
they seem TO be the degenerate remain
OF 4 race something like the MaoEis G
t New Z-aanl, and hey speak languas
similar to those people. Although VI
doubtcily cannibst race-ia fact, Oh
3 oil man speaks with enthusiasm whei
asked regarding the tonl-they are Z
: prcscat au.ct and enlightened, but retail
: nanv slp.r.tG,soss ideas which they hav
: rcceiv4I BIZ mission They veaera'
Q small sea-b.rss. he eag Of which ) ss
cred - item. IN their season OF fea:
begins In tu-u~,. when t..e :-Fs, eggs
.bnx.. I:-g- y. .aEas t~u-n Two barre